Cord holding mechanism for shades



June 7, 1932. z, E, RUSSELL 1,862,163

CORD HOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHADES Filed June 17, 1929 Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE" zAcHARY E. RUSSELL, 70F sAUK RAPIDS, MINNESOTA, AsSIorNoR To CHRISTINE M.

ARREN, GUARDIAN OF THE ESTATE OF CLYDE W. WARREN, DOING BUSINESS AS THE RRE SHADE 00., oESAUK RAPIDS, MINNEsoTA com) HOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHADES Application filed June 17,

This invention relates to a curtain or shade and particularly to a device for holding the cords by which such a shade isrolled up or manipulated. It is desirable to have a cordholding mechanism which is simple in constructionand which can be easily and quickly operated. v

It is. an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a holding means for a shade-which clamps the manipulatingcords of the shade and which is quite simple and can be easily and quickly operated. Y

It is a further Object of the invention to provide such a curtain holder or cord clamping mechanism comprising a member over which a pair of cords move having a lever pivoted adjacent thereto with a clamping portion adapted to be swung in one direction to movesaid clamping portion toward said member to clamp the cords and to be swung .in the opposite direction to move said clamping portion away from said member to release said cord.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a curtain holder or cord clamping mechanism comprising a pulley over which the cords move, a lever pivoted adjacent the pulley having an eccentric portion adapted to move toward the pulley to clamp the cords when the lever is swung in I one direction and to move away from said pulley to release the cords when said lever is swung in the opposite direction, said lever having an arm with perforated means thereon through which the cords pass whereby said lever can be swung by means of said cords.

These and other objects'and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a curtain showing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a partial view similar to Fig. 1,

1929. Serial N0. 371,472.

shown on an enlarged scale, a certain portion cured together by spaced cords or warp 11,

said curtain being supported in any suitable manner from a bar 12 as by having the top slat 104; secured thereto. As shown in Fig. 3, the top slat a is secured between a slat or bar 105 and another slat 100, all of. which are secured to the rear of bar 12. The curtain is adapted to be rolled up an for this purpose a pair of cords 13 are provided which extend around the curtain and have one end thereof fastened to brackets 14 by having the same pass through an aperture 14a; of said brackets and secured byga knot 13a. Said cords also pass upward at one side of the curtain and run over pulleys 15 carried in one side of brackets 14, said brackets having a U shaped portion 14b enclosing said pulleys 15 and supporting the trunnion pins thereof. Brackets 14 are shownas secured to the top of bar 12 by the screws 16. After passing over the pulleys 15, cords 13 pass respectively over pulleys 17 mounted on brackets 14 and between the same andplates 18 secured to the brackets 14 by rivet pins 19.

A bracket 20 isprovidecl having holes therein for receiving the securing screws 21 by which said bracket is secured tothe front of bar 12 at one end thereof. A headed stud 22 is riveted in bracket 20 on which is journaled a pulley 23 having flanges at each edge thereof at its periphery so as to form a groove having a comparatively flat bottom. A pair of pins 24 are riveted into bracket; 20 and project therefrom at either side of pulley 23 adj acent the top of the pulley, said pins being disposed in close proximityto the periphery of said pulley. Cords 13 pass laterally from pulleys 17 beneath one pin 24 and over pulley 28, the same being disposed in the groove of said pulley, said cords thenextending downwardly from said pulleys. A lever 25 is fulcrumed on a pivot stud 26 similar to stud22 and also riveted into bracket 20. Washersl27 are disposed at either side of lever 25on-stud 26. Lever 25 has a portion 25a adjacent its pivot having its lower edge or surface formed eccentrically to said pivot and provided with corrugations. Said surface 25?) is arranged so that it moves toward pulley 23 and the corrugations thereof engage cords 13 I pass.

In operation, the curtain will be manipulated by the cords 13 which extend downwardl'y at the side of the curtain to a point conveniently in reach of the operator. When the curtain is to be rolled up, the cords 1'3 will be grasped and swungoutwardly tothe right as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This swinging motion swings the edge 25?) away from the pulley and the cords are released. The cords can then be pulled upon to'roll up the curtain or allowed'to pass upward as the curtain unrolls. When the curtain has been brought to the desired point, the operator will again swing the cords downwardly toward the left, as seen in Fig. 1 and lever 25 will be moved, as the cords pass therethrough at its lower end, and surface 256 will be brought into clamping engagement with the cords 13 clamping the same against the pulley 23. The cords 13 will be clamped so that they cannot move and the curtain will be held in the desired position. It will be noted that when the lever 25 is in clamping positionthe holes 256 are substantially in vertical alignment with the edge or periphery of pulley 23. There is no tendency therefore for the gravity action of the lever or cords to move the same from clamping position. The cords are guided to and held in properposition on the pulley by the pins 24 which prevent the cord' moving olf of the pulley whennot clamped. The left-hand pin 24 0f Fig.1 also insures that the cords will engage the pulley forquite a distance and always be in proper I position to be clamped.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient curtain handling device and holding means. The clamping means and operating lever are all on one part and cooperate with a simple pulley. The devicecan be easily and inexpensively made and is at the same time quite rugged and durable. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice' and found to be very successful and eticient and is beingcommercially made.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts,

without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists 1n a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed -is:- I The combination with a rolla'ble shade and a; supporting member upon wliic'h the shade is supported, of a bracket secured to said supportingmember at one endof the same, a pulley mounted on said bracketfor rotation abouta horizontalaxis, a pair .ofplilleys mounted on said member in spaced relation,

a pair of cordssecured respectively to said member at spaced points, projecting down-' wardly and around the shade then upwardly and over said last mentioned pulleys, both 'ofsaid cords-extending substantially h-ori-zonv tally atone side of said firstmentionedspu lley and over the top ofsaid pulley andt'hen extendingsubstantiallyvertically downwardly at the other side of said firstmentione'd pulley, a lever pivoted for swinging-movement on a horizontal axis over sa-id='first arr-1e11- tioned pulley and having a- 'single j a w eX- tending downwardly over the top of'said'first mentioned pulley and adapted to clamp said cords against said-first mentioned pulley, said lever having a downwardly projecting Farm extending substantially vertically and l at the last mentioned side of said first mentioned pulley, said arm having apertures in its lower end through which the vertically extending portions of said cords'project, whereby the vertically extending portions-of said cords may be swung substantially horizontally to positively swing said lever and cl'amp and'releasesaid jaw from both of saidvcords simultaneously. s I

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature.

. ZACHARY RUSSELL. 

